23 Surgeries, Then Yoga

The Times of India reports that after two horrific car crashes and 23 surgeries, 54-year-old Usha Devi was finally able to recover through yoga. There is no doubt that yoga can provide practitioners with extraordinary physical benefits, but this is a remarkable story of physical restoration. If you have any doubts about what yoga can accomplish, check out the article here.

January 26: Yoga Day USA

January 26 marks the ninth annual Yoga Day USA, a celebration of yoga and the benefits it provides. The Waxahachie Daily Light reports:

Just one class can help stop the harmful effects of stress, providing a heightened sense of well being and a preview of additional benefits including improved breathing, strength and flexibility. (Full post here.)

Numerous free yoga classes will be offered around the nation on January 26 in an effort to get more people interested in yoga as a way to prevent stress and get fit.

Make Yoga Part of Your New Year's Resolution

Almost everyone makes New Year's resolutions and most of us don't keep them. But according to Toledo yoga instructor Jenn McCullough, yoga may be the key to keeping your New Year's resolution to get in shape:

It's hard to keep the motivation to ride the bike, go to the gym or take a run, she said. But with yoga you get a “decent workout,” strengthening muscles and stretching, she said, as well as working with your mind. (Full post here.)

Yoga for Multiple Sclerosis

The Pearland Journal reports that the Lonestar Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society funds yoga therapy tailored to the needs of MS sufferers:

Yoga therapy is suitable to all levels of flexibility and strength, because students begin at their comfort level, according to Segal. Wheel chair classes, while the most limited in postures, are aimed to free up the joints and move the breath, blood and oxygen through the body through small movements of the wrist, ankle or neck. (Full post here.)

The limited postures developed for the wheelchair yoga sessions help alleviate joint stiffness and stress that MS sufferers experience.

Andy Murray Turns to Yoga

The Guardian Unlimited reports that British tennis star Andy Murray has taken up Bikram yoga in the off-season as part of his training regime:

"When Andy Murray leaps up from his seat to give an impromptu demonstration of the latest Bikram yoga techniques he has learned, you know that Britain's No1 player is feeling confident about his fitness." (Full post here.)

Bikram yoga was developed by Bikram Choudhury. Typically, each yoga session is 90 minutes long and performed in a 105 degree room with 40% humidity.

Yoga for Weight Loss

We all know that yoga is great for balance, concentration and flexibility. A number of experts are now saying that yoga is also a great way to lose weight. You'd be surprised, though. It's not always power yoga that provides the greatest weight loss potential. Sometimes a slow, gentle session can help you lose a lot more weight than a "hardcore" variety of yoga.

Check out the article here.

How Yoga Can Help You in 2008

Here's an article from USC Health Now (University of Southern California) that you'll want to check out:

In the past decade, yoga has become a popular modality for health promotion, disease prevention and treatment for various physical and mental maladies. Here, USC experts talk about how yoga can help you in 2008.

The article discusses how yoga is used in holistic health settings and how yoga can increase your energy level. Pretty neat stuff.